Dettori Wins World’s Best Jockey Award for 2015

The 2015 World’s Best Jockey Award has been delivered to none other than Frankie Dettori, which may come as a surprise to those that primarily follow American Thoroughbred Racing. Keep in mind that the World’s Best Jockey Award is based on points, and Dettori left no doubt as to his credentials. He beat out the more well-known U.S. Triple Crown winner Victor Espinoza and Ryan Moore for the title this year.

This is the face of a rider who loves winning

Based out of Britain, and rarely riding in the United States, Dettori had a simply astounding season overseas. He won five of the globe’s best GR1 stakes races with wins at the Investec Derby, Coral-Eclipse, QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes, Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Dettori rode Golden Horn, who was named European Horse of the Year, for the first four victories listed. These races may not be as renowned to American racing fans but Dettori’s consistency is what helped him in the race for the World’s Best Jockey Award more than anything.

Golden Horn was marvellous in his three-year old campaign, picking up six victories and earning European Horse of the Year honours. He concluded this season with a second place finish at the Breeders’ Cup Turf, losing out to filly Found by a half-length, with Dettori saddled. Golden Horn also won the 2015 Cartier Horse of the Year and finished second behind American Pharaoh in the world rankings.

Dettori aboard Golden Horn, his winning partner through 2015

Fortunately for Dettori, he was able to edge out Espinoza in points in the same way American Pharaoh slipped past Golden Horn on the same type of respective charts. A win at the Travers may have helped level the playing field for Espinoza, but Dettori was simply busier throughout the season and performed at a more efficient clip.

Points are awarded for the World’s Best Jockey Award based on top-three finishes at a list of the 100 highest ranked races according to the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee. A win in these races awards 12 points to the jockey, while a second place finish nets six points and four points are given for showing . Dettori not only accumulated five big wins, but he also placed second four times and showed in four other races as well. That gave him 100 points to beat out Espinoza and Moore, who each tallied 90 points in the standings.

There’s no doubting Dettori’s staying power and talent. The 2015 World’s Best Jockey Award winner has picked up over 500 wins in group races since and even at 44 years of age, there is no slowing this rider down as we round the bend in to 2016.